


Blind Merlin

by invisible_nerd_girl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-07 08:20:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15904476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_nerd_girl/pseuds/invisible_nerd_girl
Summary: Merlin gets a strange liquid splashed in his face.





	1. Chapter 1

Merlin sat awkwardly around the fire with the Prince and his Knights. He glanced from one face to the other, seeing varying degrees of exhaustion. He felt the same exhaustion in his bones and blinked dully at the fire. His eyes ached. He had something thrown in them but at the moment there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with them other then being incredibly itchy.

“How are you feeling?” Merlin shrugged at the question, still finding it hard to look at the prince knowing that he almost started a war over him. They had been meeting some people on the boarder to talk about alliances, but they were all attacked. The people had claimed that they had no part in the attack and that they wanted peace. The knights dragged Arthur back to their horses, helping Merlin since he had gone down hard. He didn’t see who had thrown the liquid in his eyes, but it took several minutes to clear it out so he could see more than blurs. 

“I’m alive” He got to his feet and wondered to where he had his blanket thrown out, settling down with his back turned to them. There was something seriously putting in on edge and he wasn’t in the mood to talk to them all. He watched silently, lulled by their soft voices as the sun started to set. 

It was beautiful, filling the sky with colors and he relaxed against the rough ground. The leaves of the trees surrounding them blocked out the light in dark patches that seemed to fade as the light drifted away. Merlin sighed, blinking slowly as everything faded to black of night and he waited until the stars would appear.

It took way to long with him sitting in the dark to realize that they there was something wrong with what he was seeing. There was no light. There were no stars and no leaves and no fire. There was only the darkness. He slowly propped himself and turned to his face to the sound of voices, panic rising when everything remained dark. 

“Arthur?” He whispered, his voice failing to come out any louder. All conversation stopped and he could see in his mind them all staring at him. He swallowed thickly as the silence continued but the prince finally broke it. 

“Yes Merlin, what is it?” He sounded grudgingly patient and Merlin would have smirked at getting him so annoyed if he wasn’t fighting back his fear. 

“Where are you?” Merlin blinked again, hoping that he would open his eyes and everything would be fixed. He could blame his outburst on still being jumpy from the attack but there was nothing. 

“I’m sitting right in front of you.” At this point the man just sounded tired but Merlin could hear his voice coming from the fire. He could hear the knights shifting around and the crackle of the fire, the burning smoke hitting the back of this throat. 

“No. You’re not” He held his hands over his face, trying in vain to see any movement. He whined low as his eyes burned hot behind his clinched lids and he ground his palms against them, nearly clawing his eyes out when it escalated. He screamed as he curled in on himself before he was yanked back. 

“Grab his arms.” Arthurs hands were buried in his hair, yanking at the stands as he held him in place as someone took his arms and a body landed on his legs. For a heartbeat he struggled before water was poured over his eyes. The relief wasn’t instant and someone pried his eyelids open to make sure the water was hitting washing the potion out again. They had done it shortly after he had gone down but it apparently didn’t work. 

 

“How are you feeling Merlin?” the hand in his hair loosened and the others let go of him but the water continued to flow. He opened his mouth to tell them all that he was better but water dribbled straight down his throat, making him cough uncontrollably. He was tilted back up so he could clear his chest and he blinked wetly.

“Better” He sprawled back against someone’s chest and stared. He still couldn’t see. “I can’t…”

“What is it?” Arthurs voice came from over his shoulder and he whined low in his throat as he was shoved to his feet. He staggered forward a few steps and he suddenly felt the heat of the fire but he shrank away from it. 

“Oh..” He couldn’t tell who spoke, their voice muffled by the blood rushing in his ears. 

“How do your eyes feel?” Arthur was still behind him and he closed his eyes, turning away from his voice. 

“They don’t hurt so much anymore.” He forced the answer past his lips, his chest still aching from the water and making his voice rough. “I think I just need to rest.” 

“We’re only a few hours ride from the castle. I can take you there immediately so Gaius can look at them.” Arthur pulled him to his feet and Merlin licked his lips in nervousness. 

“But it’s to dark.” He pointed out and he could feel the others staring at him without needing to see them. 

“Merlin, it’s a full moon tonight.” Arthur answered slowly and he curled in on himself a little more. A second later hands grabbed his waist, lifting him up and placed him on the back of a horse. Someone swung up behind him and dropped a hand on his hip, holding him still. He stiffened the horse shifted under him and he realized it was moving steadily around. 

“I’m taking him straight to Gaius. Rest until morning to come back home.” Arthurs voice came from behind his ear and he closed his eyes, trying not to show that it had an effect on him. 

“We are supposed to travel with you.” Merlin turned his head to the sound but found his exhaustion was making it hard for him to think. 

“I know but he needs help now.” Arthurs body moved against his as he kicked the horse into a trot and he held on. 

“Where are we?” He asked slowly, letting himself relax against the feeling of riding. The horses breath was louder then he remembered but it didn’t drown out the sound of Arthur, his scent swirling around him and his skin burned where the hand held him into the saddle, tightening whenever he rocked to hard. 

“On our way home.” Arthur tucked him closer and Merlin wanted to swat at him. It was heartwarming that the prince was being protective, trying to take him home but he was massively unhelpful. He could use his magic to at least assess the damage. 

“When are we going to get back?” Merlin pressed and he felt Arthur tuck his chin over his shoulder as the horse slowed. 

“I don’t know.” Arthur sighed and Merlin twisted in his head around a little more. “It depends on how fast we can go.”

“Well I’m no help there.” He muttered and let out a breath. A heartbeat later he felt his hands wrap around his middle.

“You’re going to be alright.” Arthur breathed out and he leaned a little further back into his embrace. “I’m not going to loose you.” 

“You’re never going to loose me, Dollophead.” Merlin snorted out and felt his prince start laughing wetly.


	2. Healer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin gets his sight back...eventually.

Merlin jerked as the prince shifted, shoving him forward so he could swing off the horse. It was mostly silent around them but a second later he heard footsteps and he tightened his grip on the saddle horn. He shivered as the steps stopped and someone spoke.

“Your Highness?” He didn’t recognize the voice but he felt the reins being moved forward and he blinked. Still darkness. He slowly turned to where the he was meant to dismount and a hand took his.

“This way.” Arthur spoke up to him and he shifted, using the hand as a guide to swing himself down and staggered. Arms caught him and he huffed in embarrassment, pulling back and wrapping his arms around himself. 

“Why is it so cold?” He hissed, shivering again and he heard a huff. 

“Take care of the horse. We’re going to Gaius.” Arthur grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. Merlin staggered from the random movement and fell behind him the best he could. He tightened his grip and closed his eyes. It didn’t matter for him to keep them opened. “It’s dawn.” Arthurs voice drifted back to him. He sounded tired but his steps were sure as he lead him on. Merlin shivered again, and focused on the warmth of the hand in his own. 

“I didn’t realize the time.” He murmured and he could hear people moving around. He ducked his head down but they were silent as they passed, only their breathing giving him any clue to where they were. It must be a sight, to see the crown prince leading his manservant around by his hand. He blushed as he thought about the few stolen kisses they had and a few nights of falling asleep. They never went further but he knew how much he was cared for. 

“Gaius?” Arthur stopped and Merlin ran into him, stumbling slightly and catching himself with the princes steady shoulders. He blinked open his eyes at the sound of the old healer snorting himself awake and scrambling to his feet. 

“Prince Arthur! You weren’t meant to be back for another two days. Is there something wrong?” The man made his way forward but Merlin tried to track his movement with his eyes, feeling that it was a little off. He grunted when Arthur moved the side, shoving him forward and he was marched to a cot. 

“We were attacked, Merlin was blinded by something.” The prince explained while he was forcibly sat down and a heartbeat later hands were on his face. He pouted at the lost of the warm hand of the prince but his presence lingered, the room absent of sound as Gaius examined him. The healers hands were gentle as they lifted his lids and he waited somewhat impatiently. 

“What does it look like?” He asked carefully and gasped as he saw a dull light right in front of his face, making him flinch away. He brought his hands up instinctively, bashing against Gaius and then there was pain. He yelped and scrambled back, feeling his magic flare up and extinguish the flames before he could even think.

“Merlin?” Arthur caught his hands, using his own to wipe some of the burning wax off. He sat completely still, gasping from the pain and darkness but mostly from the fact that he just used magic in front of the prince. He didn’t know if he saw it, if there was any outcome that made it clear or even if his eyes changed color like before. 

“I’m sorry but I saw a glimpse of something and I wasn’t expecting it.” He rushed out and waited for the shoe to drop. 

“You dolt.” Was all the came and he relaxed slightly and he wrinkled his nose at the smell of wet ash. 

“Gaius, did I get you?” He asked softly, turning his face to where he thought the man was at. He could hear the sound of the healer sitting up from the floor, heavy grunts and several groans as he made his way back to his feet.

“We’ll it was a good sign, though a little surprising.” The man chuckled out and sat on the cot next to him. “Your pupils reacted to the light, as did you to the fire, but I have a hunch on what it is. If you just let me.” Merlin twitched as his face was held in the mans hands again and he tried to keep his eyes open. 

“Can you fix them?” Arthur asked softly, still standing close enough that he could feel the brush of his tunic on his arm with every breath. He must have burnt his hands as well when he tried to get the wax off of Merlin. 

“I’m hoping so. The damage could be permanent.” Gaius sighed and quickly stood. “Tell me everything that happened, er, pertaining to how he got injured of course. I don’t need to know anything about the peace meeting.”

“We got attacked at the peace meeting.” Merlin spoke dully and leaned a little toward the prince. “They tried to get into the tent and I… they were carrying a strange bowl and I told them to back off. They threw it in my face and then the fighting started. I’m not really sure what happened after that but it was a few minutes before that died down enough and they washed it out of my eyes.”

“It was mostly green, with bits of yellow and it wasn’t very thick, though it was hard to wash completely out. A few hours later, right after the sun set, he started to ask where we all went and then he started screaming…” Arthur stopped and Merlin stretched a hand out to him, forgetting that they weren’t alone. 

“Did it hurt?” The healer asked calmly and he nodded. 

“It burned, and I was stupid. It hurt so bad that I was trying to claw them out. It would’ve been a relief from the feeling.” He couldn’t imagine the faces the men had, but he knew they were staring at him. “I just wanted it to stop. They, Arthur and the others, stopped me from that, though I think I’m missing a patch of hair from that.” He reached up and playfully scrubbed at his scalp where Arthur had used as a handle to hold him in place. It still ached slightly and he could feel a few strands of hair between his fingers as he pulled back. 

“We washed his eyes out again and that seemed to do the trick. He still couldn’t see anything so I got him on my horse and brought him here.” Arthur dropped onto the cot next to him and he yawned despite them both waiting for the older man to speak. 

“I’ll see what I can do, but Merlin will need his rest. Were you wounded in the battle?” Gaius asked and he could hear him move forward, making Merlin lean back. He had terrible morning breath that mixed with the sharp scent of dried herbs and the duller underlining of old man and magic. He never really noticed before.

“No one else from our group was wounded. We weren’t the targets. Merlin got in the way.” Arthur staggered to his feet and he heard the groan of him stretching, followed by a huff of air. “Let me know the minute you know something.” He commanded and Merlin ducked his head, wishing he could stay. Instead, footsteps made their way from him and he shrank more in on himself. 

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his chin, fingers tilting it up and he gasped as lips were pressed against his own. He closed his eyes uselessly and smiled into the kiss, sighing when the prince moved away. 

“I will need my manservant if we are to be attacked again.” Arthur spoke with a little to much fomality and he nodded, rolling his eyes as he walked out the door. He followed the sound of his steps out and lost them among the others moving though out the halls. They echoed oddly back at him and he turned to focus on the noises coming from the healer. He was shuffling through parchment, though it didn’t sound like they were attacked to anything. 

“You need to be more careful.” The healer hissed and he cocked his head to the side, still a little in the clouds from the kiss. He shook his head and blinked rapidly, hoping a little more that he would clear everything up. 

“I didn’t know they were armed. I actually stopped them because it felt like magic.” He yawned after he finished speaking. He managed to doze slightly on the ride, soothed by the princes closeness and the pain he endured draining him. He was also struggling with the strain of not seeing anyone. He couldn’t concentrate. 

“I am talking about your magic!” Gaius slammed down what ever he was doing and stomped over to him. He jerked back but he was unsure if he had his arms crossed in disapproval or if he was pointing an accusing finger at him. “You’re lucky the prince was too distracted by you being injured to notice that you put the fire out.” 

“Oh, I didn’t think… I “ He shook his head and rubbed at his eyes with a low groan. “I don’t know what happened.” 

“I know, but you have to be extra diligent now that you can’t see anything. Now magic at all!” Gaius spoke sternly and he curled in more on himself. He knew it was the smart thing to do but he felt frightened that he could do anything. “I know what you’re thinking about but I don’t want you to try anything magical with your eyes. They are too delicate and too close to your brain.” He received a poke between the eyes and he swatted at the hand. “For you to be messing around with them.”

“I remember you telling me.” Merlin pouted. He couldn’t heal his eyes, even though his magic was fighting to explore the damage done to his eyes. It felt strange to hold it back. 

“Now, I need you to tilt your head back.” He felt a hand pull his chin up, “And hold your left eye open for me.” Merlin knew what was coming but he didn’t want to think much about it. For a heartbeat he was grateful that he couldn’t see the drop of liquid that hit it, making him flinch and blinked rapidly, feeling the other tear up automatically. 

“Ow” He rubbed as it started to burn but Gauis pulled his hands away.

“Next one” The healer forced him to hold his right eye open, with his left frantically blinking, and dropped the medicine in it. “This is going to make sure the last of the potion is out of your eyes and start the healing process. You rest.” 

“Thanks Gaius.” Merlin couldn’t help it coming out as a growl as he scrubbed at his eyes, flopping onto the cot and finally closing his eyes again. He took a deep breath, smiling at the scent of the prince still on him and relaxed. 

After what felt like only a few seconds but from the growing warmth in the air told him that it was a few hours, the prince was back. He staggered through the door with a groan and walked over to him. Merlin sat up and coughed, his scarf tangling around his neck in an uncomfortable manner. The man slumped on the cot next to him and yawned, making him turn to him while tugging his neck free. 

“How did it go?” He rasped out, wiping some of Gaius cure that became a crust on his eye. He still couldn’t see like before, but this time it was more like a shade of grey, like he was watching through a thick, black cloth. 

“My father wishes me to bring you to him so he can see the damage for himself.” Arthur breathed out. His voice should’ve prepared Merlin but instead he gasped as he was being kissed again. It was soft and chaste, leaving him no time to respond and a hand came up to clutch at his shoulder. “Don’t do anything that stupid again.” 

“I promise nothing.” He grinned and leaned forward, smiling as he was kissed again. The prince gave a huff and pulled him to his feet. Merlin pulled at his sweaty clothes and made a face. It went unnoticed as he was dragged behind the prince, his hand still holding his own, but Merlin tried to stay right behind him. He wasn’t sure how well the prince was paying attention to his issue, using all of his attention to walking and not where he was going.

He staggered over an uneven part of the floor and stretched his hand out, catching Arthur on the small of his back but he was able to stop his fall. He felt the stiffness in the princes back as he straightened, quickly pulling his hand back. Someone cleared their voice and he jerked his head toward it, staring uselessly at it. 

“Um, sorry” He felt Arthur nudging him forward and he shuffled his feet, feeling uneasy at everything. “Am I meant to be doing something?” He tried to listen but his heart started to pound. 

“He really has been blinded.” King Uther spoke next to him and he yelped, clamping his eyes shut as he flailed away from the man, slamming into Arthur who caught him. 

“It seems to have made him clumsier.” The prince brought him to his feet and he shuffled, making sure not to roll his eyes in front of the king. 

“This was unfortunate. I suppose only time will tell what will happen to him.” His voice came off as breezily and he could just see him in his mind waving them off. He felt Arthur take his shoulders and steer him back out of the door that he had tripped through. He let himself be manhandled around and realized that they weren’t going back the way they came. 

“Where?” He started but Arthur gave him a slight shake, making him fall silent. The hands pulled off his shoulders and there was the sound of a door closing, which made him jump. He gasped as hands slid under his tunic and pulled it off over his head. His scarf fell off with it and he twisted, grabbing at the prince. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you ready for bed.” The response made him stiffen, which his prince took advantage of by unhooking his trousers and dropping them off his hips. Merlin sighed as he was shoved back onto the bed, his boots being worked off and he slowly let his muscles unwind. A few minutes later, he felt the prince crawl into the bed next to him and pull him flush against his chest. “Now let me sleep.” 

“Goodnight Arthur” Merlin snorted, rubbing a thumb over the mans wrist and held on. The prince grunted, planting a kiss on his neck before wiggling deeper into the covers. He breathed deep, ignoring how ripe they both still were and sank back, closing his eyes as he let the prince rest. 

Their days passed with him being lead around by Arthur, his eye sight slowly returning with the help of the medicine. He still squinted during dawn and dusk, unable to see much in the dark but he did his best. His magic managed to boost some of the healing and he set about learning spells that would give him temporary sight during these times, though he could only use them when he was alone. 

Arthur grew to have a habit of moving him with small nudges and simply using his body to shove Merlin where he wanted the man to go. Merlin hated it though the knights found it hilarious. He tried not to be to annoyed, mainly because he got to be near the prince and not be the one to initiated the contact, but also because the look of protection the prince got whenever he did it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end. Please comment. XP

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment.


End file.
